HEAT (Harmonically Enhanced Algorithm Technology) software allows customers to add the realism of vintage analog sound to the Pro Tools(R) mixer via a single global control -- eliminating the time consuming and complex task of managing plug-in changes across multiple tracks and allowing customers to remain focused on the craft of mixing.

Here's the HEAT information page where there's a link to getting the 30 day demo

Starting on August 18, 2010, HEAT comes bundled with all new Pro Tools HD core systems!
Heat is available to purchase for $495 / £416 / Euro 495

A quick test was showing 60 mono tracks would use about 2 accel chips or 4 non accel chips

The installer is included with the pro tools install package or from your product page in your account.

once installed you activate heat from the "options menu"

to view heat go to the view menu and select heat for the mix window.

to view the master controls for heat go to the far right of the mix window and at the very bottom there's a small left pointing arrow which you click on. or hover the mouse over the far right edge of the mix window till the <|> arrows appear and double click. now the master control will be showing on the far right of the mix window.

on the channel controls you can have it set to "pre" to have it process first in the plugin chain or "post" to have it process as the last plugin in the chain.

The master control obviously affects all the individual channels, plus the master control has a bypass to completely bypass all Heat processing. The green power button turns Heat off completely and transport has to be stopped to turn on/off

HEAT (Harmonically Enhanced Algorithm Technology) software allows customers to add the realism of vintage analog sound to the Pro Tools(R) mixer via a single global control -- eliminating the time consuming and complex task of managing plug-in changes across multiple tracks and allowing customers to remain focused on the craft of mixing.

I have installed it but it needs authorizing! so i assume it needs purchasing as well unless there's a free ilok upgrade for this.

I'm one of those idiots on a G5 though, so no Intel-->no PT8.1-->no heat.
I could perhaps afford a new Mac, but all my HD cards are PCI, so I'd not only have to shell out like 2500 for a Mac but another 10k or something for a PCIe upgrade.

=> if I wanna try HEAT I'd have to shell out like 12-15K or something to build an entire system. Ghey.

does anyone have an idea if there'll be a HEAT version for 8.01 in the future? (I know, I'm being way too optimistic here )

This seems to be just what we were dreaming of... But it is 495€ in the EU stores. Why the freak is that? If a € equals a USD, then I will borrow 495 million USD and trade them for 495 million € from Avid the same day. Nice!

I'm one of those idiots on a G5 though, so no Intel-->no PT8.1-->no heat.
I could perhaps afford a new Mac, but all my HD cards are PCI, so I'd not only have to shell out like 2500 for a Mac but another 10k or something for a PCIe upgrade.

=> if I wanna try HEAT I'd have to shell out like 12-15K or something to build an entire system. Ghey.

does anyone have an idea if there'll be a HEAT version for 8.01 in the future? (I know, I'm being way too optimistic here )

If you have a G5 it means...

Nothing past 8.0.1cs2.

No 8.1. No new interfaces. No HEAT.

One will also note that 8.1 will only work with Snow Leopard, and is the very last build for HD systems still on XP. Time to move on to the future, folks.

I'm hoping this is different than just putting a Crane Song Phoenix on every channel. There doesn't seem to be much info about how HEAT works - does it change the actual summing that occurs in the Stereo Mixer, or does it just apply this 'tone' to every channel and the master fader?